Production
Seed processing takes place with breeding partners and selected production companies on ten sites in Germany.
Both breeding and seed production of hybrid varieties is significantly more complex than of conventional varieties. As hybrid seed is produced by cross-pollinated plants it has to be produced anew every year. In order to meet the minimum distance of 1000 meters required for pre-basic and basic seed production the production takes mainly place in countries in which there is no/hardly any commercial rye cultivation (France, Hungary, Italy).
Each hybrid consists of 3 hereditary components. On the seed parent side it is the Petkus circle, while the pollen parent is the Carsten circle. Line A is present as male-sterile line as well as male-fertile line (maintainer line). For propagation both are planted in alternating stripes. For the production of basic seed A and B are crossed and then for the production of certified seed (AxB) is crossed with pollen parent C. In order to increase the crop’s pollination and thus to reduce ergot infection risk 10 % conventional rye is added to the sales product.
Production
